Wednesday, November 19, 2014

The
Canadian Network On Cuba (CNC) is launching the Cuba For West Africa Campaign to raise
funds to assist the ongoing Cuban medical missions in the West African nations
of Guinea-Conakry, Liberia & Sierra Leone that are engaged in fighting the
Ebola epidemic. The Cuban medical mission is by far the largest sent by any
country. Standing side-by-side with the peoples of West Africa, 461 Cuban
doctors and nurses – chosen from more than 15,000 volunteers - have gone to West
Africa and joined the struggle against Ebola. Jose Luis Di Fabio, a
representative of the World Health Organization, underscored that “there
are more human resources from Cuba than from many, many NGOs put
together.”

Such is the magnitude of Cuba’s solidarity with Africa that even
the corporate media, usually unduly harsh in their views concerning Cuba, had to
give the Caribbean nation plaudits for its actions. For example, the New York
Times, recognizing at last Cuba’s virtue, has been moved to editorialize its
position that the U.S. economic embargo against the island should end and the
three Cubans still imprisoned in the U.S. as fighters against terrorism should
be freed. Also, on October 9th, the Wall Street Journal stated: “Few have heeded
the call, but one country has responded in strength: Cuba.” As Jorge Lefebre
Nicolas, Cuba’s ambassador to Liberia, declared: “We cannot see our brothers
from Africa in difficult times and remain there with our arms folded.” Havana’s
contribution is to be contrasted with that of Washington, which dispatched
thousands of soldiers, instead of more desperately needed healthcare personnel
and resources.

The Cuban doctors serving in West Africa are motivated not by
financial gain but by the profound internationalist values of solidarity
inculcated since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. Since 1959, more than
300,000 Cuban medical workers have served in 158 countries. Currently, 50,000
Cuban doctors and nurses are serving in 66 countries across Latin America,
Africa and Asia. Indeed, before the Ebola epidemic there were more than
4,000 Cuban healthcare personnel treating people in 32 African countries. As Dr.
Jorge Perez Avila, the director of the Pedro Kouri Institute for Tropical
Medicine in Havana - where those going to fight ebola get three weeks of
intensive specialized training before going overseas - noted: "Our principle has
been to share what we have."

In 2010 Cuba rose to the immense challenge of helping the heroic
people of Haiti after the earthquake that inflicted such horrendous suffering.
In response, the CNC launched the Cuba For
Haiti Campaign as the best way by which Canadians could help Haiti. The
success of the Cuba For Haiti
Campaign demonstrates the confidence and respect that Canadians have
for the people for Cuba. The respect and confidence increase the better we know
Cuba.

In 2014, as it has always done, Cuba is taking up the cause of
humanity in Guinea-Conakry, Liberia & Sierra Leone. Africa has called and
Cuba has answered.

At the September 16, 2014 meeting of the United Nations
Security Council, Cuban representative Abelardo Moreno declared: “Humanity has a
debt to African people. We cannot let them down.”

The CNC is asking Canadians to support the invaluable work
of the Cuban medical mission by donating to the Cuba For West Africa Campaign. You can support
the Cuba For West Africa Campaign by sending a check to the Canadian Network On
Cuba. The cheques should be made out to the Canadian Network On Cuba, writing Cuba for West Africa Campaignon
your cheque’s memo line. Your donation should be mailed to: THE CNC, Attn: S.
Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton, ON L7E 1S

Concert at Patchwork House Concerts

with Augusto Enriquez

Jeff Goodspeed, Silvio Pupo, David Burton, Danny Parker

November 10 at 8 pm

Where? 30 First Avenue, Bedford

Reserve your spot by email

or by calling 902
434-8355

Patchwork
House Concerts, in partnership with
the Los
Primos Project, is thrilled to host internationally acclaimed Cuban
musician Augusto
Enriquez on Monday, November 10. Augusto will be supported
by a 4-piece band (woot woot). Show starts at 8 pm. A
suggested donation of $25 per person will be collected at the door. Note
100 % of funds collected will go to support Augusto and his work with Los
Primos, a local charity that raises money to promote cultural exchanges between
Nova Scotian and Cuban youth, buy instruments for children in
Cuba.

Augusto sings every style imaginable,
has played all over the world with the likes of Pavarotti but he loves to
do house concerts in Nova Scotia because it is such an intimate performance
experience.

We’d love it if you RSVP’d – it
helps us plan. And we’d love it if you tell all your music-loving friends
about Patchwork and bring them with you to a show. RSVP via email
(mleblanc.patchwork@gmail.com) or by calling 902
434-8355.

A
Note from Monique LeBlanc about Patchwork House
Concerts:

A Patchwork House Concert is a
special experience. It’s a chance to really listen to live music by great
Canadian and international artists in a relaxed, intimate setting. It’s kind of
like having your favorite artists play in your living room. Heck, that’s
exactly what it is! We invite musicians in fairly regularly and our
audiences listen…

‘Tickets’ average $20 however we do
not sell tickets per se. We ask for guests to make asolid commitment
to attend and bring their contribution with them. Shows generally start
early (at 8 pm) so we begin welcoming guests around 7:30pm to allow everyone
time to get a soft drink (or if you have brought your own, something stronger),
grab a snack, find a seat and get comfortable.

Usually we have 2 sets with a break
in between for enjoying some refreshments, socializing, and maybe having a chat
with one of the artists. CDs and other musician merchandise are often available
for purchase so it is wise to bring a little extra cash to pick up a cd or two
for your music collection. At the break, we also collect money for the
show.

All
the proceeds go to the performers.

Why
do we do this? Well, we like listening to live music in small
spaces.

We like the little bit of extra chaos this brings to our lives.

We
like the fact that we are supporting hard-working musicians.

We like
seeing old friends and meeting new people.

We hope to see you
soon!

________________________________________________

Cuban
president Remarks in ALBA Summit on Ebola

HAVANA,
Cuba, Oct 20 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro addressed the Heads of State and
Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Trade
Treaty of the Peoples (ALBA-TCP) and its observers that gathered in Havana in a
Special Summit on Ebola.

Cuban
News Agency now reproduces his remarks to open the debate:

Key
address by the President of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of
Cuba, Raúl Castro Ruz, at the Special ALBA-TCP Summit on Ebola

Esteemed
heads of State and Government, and chiefs of delegations; His Excellency Mr.
David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General; Her Excellency Mrs.
Clarisse Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization; His Excellency
Mr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the Organization of East Caribbean
States

We
welcome you to our country on the occasion of this Special ALBA Summit on Ebola
convened on the initiative of President Maduro.

Ladies
and Gentlemen, comrades;

A
dreadful epidemic is advancing today on our fraternal peoples of Africa, and
threatening us all. A high number of cases have been diagnosed with Ebola and
many people have perished from the disease in several countries, including two
outside the African continent.

This
poses a huge challenge to humanity, one that should be met with utmost urgency.
The action of the international community as a whole, under the leadership of
the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and the UN
Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, is much needed.

As part
of the melting pot of Latin American and Caribbean cultures, African blood
flows through the veins of ‘Our America’, contributed by those who fought for
independence and helped in the creation of wealth in many of our countries and
others, the United States included.

Africa
and Cuba are bound together by deep affection. Over 76 thousand Cuban
collaborators have rendered health services in 39 countries, while 45 nations
have had 3,392 physicians trained in Cuba absolutely free of charge.

At the
moment, more than 4 thousand Cuban healthcare collaborators are working in 32
African countries and, as our Public Health Minister will explain; they are all
joining in the preventive effort against Ebola.

Last
October 1st, in response to a request from the Director General of the World
Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, and UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban
Ki-Moon, a specialized Cuban medical brigade traveled to Sierra Leone to take
part in the struggle against that epidemic; and tomorrow, Tuesday, October
21st, two other Cuban brigades, whose leaders are already in the field, will be
leaving for Liberia and Guinea.

The
numerous alerts and concerns recently manifested over the insufficient
resources contributed and the pace of the actions are a reflection of the
growing universal awareness on the necessity to move ahead promptly in order to
avoid a humanitarian crisis of unpredictable consequences.

I stand
convinced that if this threat is not held back and resolved in West Africa,
through an immediate and effective international response, with sufficient
resources and coordinated by the World Health Organization and the United
Nations, it may evolve into one of the gravest pandemics in the history of mankind.

Actually,
such a noble and urgent endeavor demands the indispensable commitment and
dedication of every nation in the world, to the extent of everyone’s
possibilities.

We are of
the view that this grave problem should not be politicized to avoid the risk of
losing track of the main objective, which is helping to confront the epidemic
in Africa and to prevent its expansion to other regions.

Following
my conversation with the UN Secretary General last September 5th, instructions
were given to our representatives in events called by the World Health
Organization and the United Nations, to reaffirm that Cuba is willing work side
by side with every country, including the United States.

The
modest experience accumulated by the Cuban healthcare system indicates that an
integrating disposition is required, along with the proper organization,
planning and coordination, not only of the clinical and healing work but also
of preventive measures. An inescapable complementation to this would be the
systemic and permanent labors of the specialists who shall exercise great

discipline
and severity in the observation of the medical protocols established. In the
course of this meeting, we shall discuss the practical features of this matter.

In order
to avoid being affected by the virus, we should prepare ourselves intensively,
work together throughout the Americas on preventive measures, and be ready to
deal with the disease and prevent its dissemination.

We wish
to submit to the consideration of the member countries of ALBA and the
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) some collective
proposals of cooperation that may help in training the healthcare personnel and
designing and implementing comprehensive and effective preventive measures,
giving a priority to Haiti and the Caribbean countries; we should all assist
the most vulnerable states.

At the
same time, we invite the countries of North America to also cooperate in this
endeavor.

If the
respective governments would agree, our healthcare collaborators currently
working in Latin America and the Caribbean, could support, to the extent of
their capabilities, the preventive actions and the training of local personnel,
as well as offer advisory.

In
summary, we have 45,952 Cuban healthcare collaborators working in 25 countries
of Our America, 23,158 of them, that is, 50.4% are doctors, who along with
their colleagues from the continent make up a powerful force capable of meeting
such a challenge.

It’s
worthwhile recalling that many countries of our region count on 23,944 doctors
graduated in Cuban universities until today, basically in the past fifteen
years.

Finally,
on December 14th, we will host another Summit in Havana to celebrate the 10th
anniversary of Alliance, the fruit of the will of our peoples in the region and
of the actions of Hugo Chavez Frias and Fidel Castro Ruz. We look forward to
that opportunity when we shall examine the implementation of what we agree here
today.